Woman's Death Linked to Praxair Explosion

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports Wednesday that Doctor Michael Graham ruled last month that Minnie Cooper died because her brain was starved of oxygen. The ruling was cited on a copy of the death certificate provided to the Post-Dispatch by a lawyer working with Cooper's family. Cooper became ill the day of the explosion and died 11 days later. Lawyer Irv Mestman says Cooper was exposed to pollution from the July 4 explosion for up to 90 minutes. The death certificate cited an asthma attack triggered by inhalation of noxious smoke and fumes from the industrial explosion and fire. A spokesman for Connecticut-based Praxair declined comment.